History of Tom Jones, a Foundling

by Henry Fielding

  Chapter i.

  Too short to need a preface.

  There are a set of religious, or rather moral writers, who teach thatvirtue is the certain road to happiness, and vice to misery, in thisworld. A very wholesome and comfortable doctrine, and to which we havebut one objection, namely, that it is not true.

  Indeed, if by virtue these writers mean the exercise of those cardinalvirtues, which like good housewives stay at home, and mind only thebusiness of their own family, I shall very readily concede the point;for so surely do all these contribute and lead to happiness, that Icould almost wish, in violation of all the antient and modern sages,to call them rather by the name of wisdom, than by that of virtue;for, with regard to this life, no system, I conceive, was ever wiserthan that of the antient Epicureans, who held this wisdom toconstitute the chief good; nor foolisher than that of their opposites,those modern epicures, who place all felicity in the abundantgratification of every sensual appetite.

  But if by virtue is meant (as I almost think it ought) a certainrelative quality, which is always busying itself without-doors, andseems as much interested in pursuing the good of others as its own; Icannot so easily agree that this is the surest way to human happiness;because I am afraid we must then include poverty and contempt, withall the mischiefs which backbiting, envy, and ingratitude, can bringon mankind, in our idea of happiness; nay, sometimes perhaps we shallbe obliged to wait upon the said happiness to a jail; since many bythe above virtue have brought themselves thither.

  I have not now leisure to enter upon so large a field of speculation,as here seems opening upon me; my design was to wipe off a doctrinethat lay in my way; since, while Mr Jones was acting the most virtuouspart imaginable in labouring to preserve his fellow-creatures fromdestruction, the devil, or some other evil spirit, one perhapscloathed in human flesh, was hard at work to make him completelymiserable in the ruin of his Sophia.

  This therefore would seem an exception to the above rule, if indeed itwas a rule; but as we have in our voyage through life seen so manyother exceptions to it, we chuse to dispute the doctrine on which itis founded, which we don't apprehend to be Christian, which we areconvinced is not true, and which is indeed destructive of one of thenoblest arguments that reason alone can furnish for the belief ofimmortality.

  But as the reader's curiosity (if he hath any) must be now awake, andhungry, we shall provide to feed it as fast as we can.